[T3] Brake issues....

Keith Park topnotch at nycap.rr.com
Thu Jul 21 17:24:44 PDT 2011


Its amazing that a shop like that can stay in business... I mean, if they
can handle the modern cars with the antilock brakes and all the sensors and
special gizmo's  but they cant handle something as simple as our cars!

Time to find a new shop, I mean, ANYBODY should be able to handle a simple
set of basic drum brakes.

Keith


Top Notch Restorations
topnotch at nycap.rr.com 
http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm
71 Squareback "Hothe"
65 Notchback "El Baja Rojo"
65 Squareback "Eggcrate"
87 golf "Winterat"
93 RX7 "Redstur"


-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of James
Lingenfelter
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 2:49 AM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Brake issues....

  Hi everybody; I am in the midst of a brake system nightmare with my  
'68 squareback, to the extent that I will be forced to sell the car  
soon if I can not figure out what is going on and get it drivable.

The story: had a leaking rear wheel cylinder, took it to a VW shop;  
they replaced both rear wheel cylinders; they called me and said the  
drums were badly scored and should be replaced, but it would take  
them a week to get the parts. I said no, brakes felt fine before, I  
can't be without the car another week, just put it back together like  
it is. I go pick up the car, they tell me they "turned" the drums  
because they were so scored and I didn't want to replace them. Brakes  
feel fine, pedal firm, they stop well, but then I notice the rears  
are dragging. I jack up the rear and can hardly turn the rear wheels  
at all. I loosen the star adjusters quite a few notches and they're  
still dragging. So I go back to the shop, they tell me the guy who  
worked on my car has since been fired for screwing up brake jobs, and  
they readjust them for me. I go home, next day, rears dragging again.  
Back to the shop, slightly more angry this time. NOW they tell me  
that the guy screwed up by "turning" the drums, and they would have  
to replace the rear drums (at their own expense of course). They  
readjust the rears again, tell me they'll call me when the new drums  
come in, and send me on my way. Next day, rears are dragging  
again..... this time felt like the wheel was free part of the  
rotation, and dragging HARD at only a certain point..... gave a nice  
"surging" effect while coasting. This time it was enough that I even  
smelled them burning a couple of times.

So the new drums come in, back to the shop. NOW I pick the car up  
with the new drums, and the pedal goes NEARLY to the floor. Didn't  
seem to be a bleeding issue, because no matter what the pedal never  
got any firmer. Back to the shop. Bled the brakes again, adjusted the  
rears yet again.... the guy tells me he can't adjust the rears any  
more or they'll start dragging. I get in the car, brake pedal goes  
nearly to the floor..... tonight I needed to make a somewhat quick  
stop from about 40mph, and my foot was feeling the floorboard, and  
still hardly any braking power. It's scary to drive. Also there's now  
a knocking sound from the rear brakes while braking, that was never  
there before.

So here's the current situation: new drums, shoes, and wheel  
cylinders in the rear, adjusted to the max; front calipers were just  
completely rebuilt/new pads etc. No air in the lines, no fluid loss  
anywhere..... and the car is 100% unsafe to drive. What could this be?

I'm currently working about 80 hours a week and have no time to do  
any work to the car myself; at this point my only hope is to get some  
advice on what the problem might be and pass that on to a mechanic  
(since apparently none of them can do a simple brake job without  
outside help).

Thanks for taking the time to read...
Jimmy

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